Kent · England
Paella Party Catering for Aylesford events
Planning paella party catering in Aylesford? We bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook while your guests watch.
- Wakes and memorial gatherings
- Family reunions
- Garden get-togethers
Paella party catering near Aylesford
Working with your venue
If you’re planning an event on someone’s behalf, whether you are a planner, an office manager or an event organiser, we will work directly with you and the venue. It saves passing messages back and forth.
For big numbers, we plan pans and serving points to keep queues short, so everyone eats promptly. Let us know how long the food break is.
Paella party catering in Aylesford, cooked live
The smell of paella cooking is the best party invitation. Guests gather round, glass in hand, to watch. We’re often asked to cater summer garden parties and family get-togethers, serving chicken and chorizo paella, churros and tapas.
For a party in Aylesford, your garden is frequently the best venue. Tell us about access and parking, and we’ll do the rest. All the cooking equipment comes with us, and we clear our cooking area away afterwards.
The process
When the rice goes in, it’s left alone. That is how the grains cook evenly and the toasted base, the socarrat, forms. The smell normally draws people over. A summer party in Aylesford stays light until about 9:20pm at midsummer, which gives a garden party a long evening. By late September sunset is around 7:00pm, so plan festoon lights for later parties.
- You tell us the date, address, guest numbers and any dietary needs.
- You get a menu suggestion and a clear price.
- We arrive, set up in your garden or venue and start the sofrito.
- The paella cooks while your guests chat, with any tapas served first.
- We serve it hot from the pan, then pack down.
Preparing for the day
- Check the venue allows live cooking
- Name one person we can ask on the day
- Arrange parking near the cooking spot
How to get a price
Still deciding on the menu? That’s fine: give us the basics about your party, and we will suggest a menu. Start when you are ready: send us your details through our quote form.
Related guides
Before you choose a spot
No two venues are the same, so we ask about the space when you contact us. In general, we need:
- Flat, firm ground for the cooking area
- Somewhere close to park and unload
- A safe distance from anything that could catch
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we will tell you honestly before booking.
Popular choices
- Paella Valenciana
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegetable paella
- Seafood paella
- Mixed paella
- Tapas
- Churros
FAQs for Aylesford
Can you cater a reception after a service at Aylesford Church?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Live cooking generally happens at the reception venue, not the church. Tell us where the reception will be.
What’s the nearest station to Aylesford for guests?
Aylesford station, in Aylesford itself.
Where do you cater?
London and South East England: Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight, including Aylesford.
How much paella per person?
We plan quantities from your guest numbers, timings and other courses, with a little extra built in. Give us accurate numbers for the best result.
What do you need at the venue?
A level space for the pans, burners and a serving table, outdoors or in a marquee or well-ventilated area, and the venue’s permission for live cooking.
Can we add tapas or canapés?
Of course. Canapé tapas with the drinks, or table tapas to share, while the rice is cooking.
How far ahead should we book?
The sooner the better. Popular dates book up first, so it pays to ask early.
Is it really cooked live?
Yes, always. We cook from scratch in large pans at your venue, in front of your guests.
Planning for every diet
Few dishes handle mixed diets as well as paella, because every paella has its own pan. A few tips:
- Ensure children stay back from the pans
- Have enough chairs for most guests
- Give separate numbers for children
- Let the neighbours know
Kids are fascinated by the huge pans, at a safe distance.
Bread, salad and lemon wedges round off the meal.
Aylesford parties: what to know
Aylesford is about 3 miles north-west of Maidstone, in Kent. From the centre of Aylesford to the outskirts, we offer the same service: paella cooked live, every diet catered for and a clear quote. Aylesford is one of 922 towns and villages in Kent we cover. You can also see our page for Canterbury, about 26 miles away.
Thinking of a party in Ditton Quarry? Cooking in a public park generally needs permission from the council or landowner, so check first. After a christening at a church like Aylesford Church, a paella lunch is an easy way to feed family and friends. Aylesford is within about 8 miles of the Kent Downs National Landscape, so many gardens around here have a great outlook.
This part of Kent takes in ME20, so your party can be anywhere in it. From Station Road, High Street and Hall Road or a nearby road, we can cook there. We also cook at parties in Ditton (1 mile west), Allington (1 mile south-east), East Malling (2 miles west), Well Street (2 miles south-west) and Fant (2 miles south). Further out, we also cater in Maidstone (3 miles south-east), Sittingbourne (12 miles east), Dartford (15 miles north-west), Sevenoaks (12 miles west), Royal Tunbridge Wells (14 miles south-west) and Gravesend (10 miles north-west).
A little further out are Allington Castle (1.7 miles east) and Medway megaliths (1.7 miles north-east). Green spaces nearby include Burham Down and Blue Bell Hill.
- Local schools include Aylesford School (less than half a mile west)
- Nearby, you will find The Chequers pub (less than half a mile north-east)
What paella party catering costs
The price comes down to a few factors:
- Parking and unloading
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
- How many courses
Cost depends on guest numbers, the menu and the courses, plus any staff, crockery and travel. Every event gets its own quote.
What we need to know
A few details help us give you an accurate quote. Here’s what to include:
- The date and rough timings
- The courses you’d like
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- What the venue already provides
We need only a few details to quote: the date, where the event is, how many guests and any dietary needs. You can fill in our quote form.
Also near Aylesford
Other catering in Aylesford
Should I cook it myself?
Cooking paella for a crowd yourself is possible, but it is harder than it looks. Large pans need the right burners, and getting the rice right at scale is tricky. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
Some hosts like to cook themselves. Common mistakes are mismatched pans and burners, overfilling and stirring. If you’d rather enjoy the party, let us cook.
What’s in the pans
Seafood paella
The seafood pan is frequently the showpiece, and is best served with lemon.
Chicken & chorizo paella
Smoky, satisfying and popular with children, and a good choice for guests who do not eat seafood.
Is live paella right for your party?
Cooking yourself saves money but costs you the party. With live paella, you are a guest too. Got a budget? Let us know, and we will put together a menu that fits. A simple menu can still feel generous.
Why choose Love Paella in Aylesford
- Cooking your guests will gather round to watch
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
- Everything cooked fresh at your event
- No hidden extras in your quote
Take a look at How we price Or The cost guide.
- Cooked live in giant pans at your event
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal options
- Paella, tapas, canapés and desserts
- Sangria, bar staff, crockery and waiting staff